Ivanisevic names two players who are “five steps ahead” of Djokovic
The world No. 1′s former coach didn’t bite his tongue when asked about the Serb’s current form and sent him a harsh message.
Novak Djokovic has been dealing with some difficult moments since the start of the new season, probably more than he expected.
The 24-time major champion suffered a few unexpected losses in the first weeks of the year and hasn’t played the way he did in 2023.
The French Open is edging closer, and Nole wants to be at his best to have a chance to retain the title in Paris, so he decided to withdraw from the Madrid Open to try to get better conditioned and regain energy for the second Grand Slam event of the calendar.
In 2023 Djokovic won the Australian Open, the French Open, and the US Open, and got to the Wimbledon final. It was one of the best years of his career despite being 36, but the high level of exigence he has been dealing with throughout his career seems to be taking a toll on him now.
Ivanisevic: “Jannik and Carlos are five steps ahead of him”
Djokovic’s former coach, Goran Ivanisevic, is one of the people who best knows the Serb maestro. Talking to Sportal.blic.rs, he weighed in on Djokovic’s struggles.
“Training is one thing, and matches are another. You have to train. I see that many criticize him for perhaps having no motivation, but the man broke all the records, won everything he could win and it is not easy to motivate himself again and again”, he said.
“If you don’t train you can’t expect great things. He is a genius and easily adapts to matches, and if you tie his hands and feet, there are players he will beat, but against these two, I mean Sinner and Alcaraz, it is a little more difficult”, Ivanisevic added.
“Jannik and Carlos are currently five steps ahead of everyone else, I’m not just talking about Novak. But I will repeat for the umpteenth time, everything depends on him, how motivated he is, where he will play, and how he will appear on the field” the 2001 Wimbledon champion stated.
Nole is expected to return to the tennis courts at the Italian Open, which will be played in Rome from May 8 to 19. The Serb will hope to be ready for the French Open and the Paris Olympics, two of his main goals this year.